Archives for May 2013

It’s redux time again! This month we are in party mode and focused on healthy brunch recipes. Since many brunches include fruit, I wanted to bring some veggies to the party. When I find a new product at the grocery store, I am compelled to find a recipe to use it in. I found a new Greek yogurt cream cheese and wanted to try it out and update a cucumber dip I have had at many showers, graduation parties, and barbeques.

This dip can also be used with an omelet or even for a snack with pita chips. It’s super easy and will leave your guests begging for more. This is also a great way to include more protein and live and active cultures that this new product provides. Most cream cheeses provide 2 grams of protein, this one has 4 grams. It also have 3 grams of fat. I definitely think it’s cart worthy!

Green Mountain Farms Greek Cream Cheese & Greek Yogurt

Note: Opinions are my own. I was not approached by this company or compensated in any way to mention it. I simply tried a new product I found and wanted to tell you about it. It’s also fun to give you a recipe to use it in.

May is Celiac Awareness Month. If you have celiac disease or have a gluten sensitivity, shopping for gluten free foods can be very confusing and frustrating at first. Gluten free foods can also be expensive, and if you aren’t sure how they taste, you may not want to spend the money. Did you know your supermarket may have resources you didn’t know about that can help you? I enlisted the help supermarket nutrition experts who at the front lines on what gluten free foods are on the shelves. Her are some of their favorites.

1. Quinoa and Chia

Leah McGrath, RD, with Ingles Markets based in North Carolina, encourages customers to try quinoa or chia. Quinoa has become a popular gluten free grain. Often called “the mother grain”, quinoa is a powerhouse of nutrition. It is higher in protein and has larger amounts of Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin E, Zinc, and Potassium than other grains. It can be used as a cereal, in salads, or as a flour. Chia may be new to many consumers. At 10 grams of fiber per tablespoon, this tiny seed packs a nutritional punch. They are also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Chia can be used on dishes or soaked to make a pudding.

2. Udi’s Gluten Free Breads and Diamond Nut Thins

Finding crackers and breads can be challenging for gluten free consumers. Jen Haugen, a dietitian with Hy-Vee in Minnesota, recommends products like Blue Diamond Nut Thins or Udi’s Gluten Free Bread lines for customers looking for substitutions for bread or crackers.

3. Corn Tortillas

Cindy Silver, corporate nutritionist for Lowes Foods, doesn’t want customers to feel like they are missing out. She suggests swaps like 100% corn tortillas versus flour tortillas. She cautions corn tortillas still contain wheat so it’s important to read the ingredient labels. You can also make your own with Cindy’s easy and delicious recipe, Corn Tortilla Bake.

4. Goodbye Gluten Free Bread

April Graff, a supermarket dietitian with Hy-Vee, suggests Goodbye Gluten Free Bread to her customers, and she also keeps Blue Diamond Gluten Free Artisan Nut Thins at her desk when she needs a quick snack.

5. KIND snack bars

When Karen Buch, corporate dietitian for Weis Markets, is need of a gluten free snack, she reaches for a KIND bars. KIND’s tasty bars are filled with dried fruit, nuts, and other ingredients you can pronounce (as their tag line states and proves true). Their Gluten Free granola worth checking out.

Shopping for Health met at Boulder’s in Carefree, Arizona, last week for the 3rd annual summit, bringing together some of the nation’s finest supermarket dietitians. Founded by Nancy Tringali Piho, a food and nutrition communications pro out of Washington, D.C., Shopping for Health provides supermarket dietitians with a 2 1/2 day conference for the latest in consumer trends and gives brands one of one interaction with them.

Shopping for Health kicked off with one of the most interesting dinner experiences I have ever had. Michelle May, M.D., author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat gave the attendees a mindful eating experience that I will certainly never forget. Mindful eating is a concept that makes you pause and really ask yourself why you are eating. May took us through the mindful eating cycle throughout our meal. Her strategies are definitely worth putting into practice. Her method goes behind the why you eat to become more in tune to your choices.

Dr. Michelle May discussing Mindful Eating

Day 1 was full of great speakers, including the California Strawberry Commission, Barbara Katz from Health Focus International detailing the latest in consumer trends, and Nutiva, speaking about their products and how they are pioneering organics. The guests were given the opportunity to sample products provided by KIND snacks, California Strawberries, Lean Cuisine’s new lines of frozen meals, Nutiva, and beer pairing provided by the National Beer Wholesalers Association.

KIND Snack Break

Lunch with Lean Cuisine

Day 2 kicked off with a relaxing yoga session and a milk break by the National Milk Mustache Campaign. This was followed by an amazing breakfast by Grimmway Farms and the National Onion Association to prepare us to hear about the story of chocolate, how it’s processed, and it’s nutritional benefits by the National Confectioners Association’s Chocolate Council. Cabot Creamery also presented their new packaging and let us sample their cheeses. The Wheat Foods Council and Julie Miller Jones, PhD, presented about the science behind gut health and food intolerances. She provided us with a scientific breakdown of the microbiome and gut health. The Wheat Foods Council also provided lunch with some of their favorite recipes supermarket dietitians can use in their cooking demos or community events. The National Confectioners Association wrapped up the meeting with a “Feast of Chocolate” and wine pairings. The chocolate combinations were non-traditional and amazing.

Morning Yoga

The most amazing carrot cake oatmeal

Cabot Cheese Break

Julie Miller Jones, PhD on Wheat and Food Intolerance

Shopping for Health was truly an exciting event. It’s intimate setting and number of participants gave you opportunities to really get to know attendees and brands. Piho did an excellent job of letting participants enjoy and experience the picturesque location. The sessions had great speakers and a variety of supermarket dietitian specific topics. But don’t take my word for it. Check out what a supermarket RD from Whole Foods had to say about the conference.